MOST children in Cheshire West and Chester have succeeded in gaining places at their preferred school of choice.

Letters, sent by the authority to parents on Monday, confirmed 3,097 children (92%) will attend their first-choice secondary school while 2,919 (90%) were allocated places at their preferred primary school.

But a significant number of prospective students have been told that there are no places available at their first, second or third-choice schools.

More than 100 pupils will be forced to go to a non-preferred primary school, in accordance with the CWaC’s published admission arrangements, while 84 children missed out a secondary level.

It has been confirmed that if the council is unable to offer a place at any of the preferred schools stated on the parental application, a place is allocated at the next nearest Cheshire West and Chester school with vacancies.

It is understood that the closure of Frodsham High School has put places at nearby Helsby at a premium. But school closures and amalgamations are not being sited as the source of the problem.

Education and Children portfolio holder Arthur Harada said: “In the case of Helsby High School, they have taken children from outside the area, such as Halton and Warrington.

“Cheshire West and Chester schools do attract children from other areas such as North Wales, Wirral and Cheshire East who want to study here for obvious reasons.”

More than 150 second-choice and 44 third-choice places were allocated while 149 second preferences and 36 third-choice places were granted to prospective secondary-school pupils.

The recent allocation of school places is the first undertaken by Cheshire West and Chester Council, since taking over from Cheshire County Council in April last year.